Tag Archives: salt blend

Every January the blogosphere is buzzing with citrus inspired recipes and various preservation techniques. Like any good food-enthusiast, I too shared a post, as well as embarked on a few new adventures.

I’m no stranger to using salt as a method of preservation for herbs, but fruit is something entirely new for me! When stepping onto new ground I like to explore various recipes; typically, I start off down the plain-Jane path and then detour trying something with a little more zip. This is exactly what happened when I preserved lemons.

Feel free to try these recipes with your favorite citrus fruit, I just happened to have a bunch of lemons on hand. Next time I think I’ll give it a go with limes… or maybe a mix!

Plain-Jane Salted Lemons

8-10 lemons, scrubbed clean and dried. (You can use any variety available, most people tend to use Meyer since they are more mild.)

1/2 cup sea salt

sterilized quart jar and metal ring

coffee filter or tightly knit cloth, such as muslin

glass fermenting weights (optional)

Cover the bottom of your jar with a layer of salt. Cut off each end of the lemon and quarter. I’ve seen a lot of people only cut off the blossom-end and then “almost quarter” the lemon, keeping it whole. Either way will work, I’ve found that wedges pack into a jar better than a whole lemon.

With each layer of lemon, add another layer of salt; continue with this pattern until you have filled the jar. Press down on your lemons to extract the juice. Make sure your lemons are completely submerged; you may need to use the juice of an additional lemon or two to accomplish this.

Place glass weights on top the fruit to keep it submerged in the juice; wipe the rim and cover with a coffee filter and adjust screw-on band to hold it firmly in place. Allow to lemons to cure for 5 weeks, then transfer to the refrigerator.

If you do not have glass weights, using clean hands, press down on the lemons each day to keep them submerged in juice.

Fancy Schmancy Salted Lemons

2 lbs lemons, scrubbed clean, dried, and quartered

9 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 Tsp brown cardamom seeds

1 Tsp black peppercorns

1/2 Tsp paprika

1 Tsp cayenne

16 cloves

1-1/2 Tsp sugar

Grind cardamom seeds, peppercorns, and cloves in a mortar and pestle, add to remaining spices; mix well. Cover the bottom of your jar with a layer of spiced salt and add a layer of lemons. With each layer of lemon, add another layer of spiced salt; continue with this pattern until you have filled the jar. Press down on your lemons to extract the juice. Make sure your lemons are completely submerged; you may need to use the juice of an additional lemon or two to accomplish this.

Place glass weights on top the fruit to keep it submerged in the juice; wipe the rim and cover with a coffee filter and adjust screw-on band to hold it firmly in place. Allow to lemons to cure for 5 weeks, then transfer to the refrigerator.

If you do not have glass weights, using clean hands, press down on the lemons each day to keep them submerged in juice.

I ended up making a delicious lemon couscous over the weekend, so be sure to check back for that post!!